Sunday, October 23, 2016

C-123 Dairu/Dial & C-124 Zauru/Zaur

So finally i laid my hands on the final 2 Dino Cassettes, Dairy and Zauru!
Again thanks to my good buddy who gave me a very very good deal!

Finally finally finally....cannot imagine i would ever be able to complete the dino cassettes.
As per the earlier 2 cassettes, i'm gonna do a comparison between the original and the K.O version. (Gurafi/Noizu comparison here!)
As i mentioned many months ago (when i got the first 2 cassettes), i acquired the K.O version of these rare and hard to find cassettes...to make sure that i would not pay the price of an original for a K.O...and am glad that i didn't need to use this information as both sources were very trustworthy.

Front of the box: Original on the left, K.O on the right.
Unlike C-121 & C-122, there were not much obvious differences between them. 
You will need aboriginal side by side to really differentiate the boxes.

Original on the top, KO at the bottom.
One difference: on the Number "2", the KO does not have the vertical line while it exists on the original.

Back of the Box: Original on the left, K.O on the right.
There's really no much difference, nothing you can use to i.d the K.O with the original.

Side of the box: Original on the left, K.O on the right

Side of the box: Original on the left, K.O on the right

The toy: Original on the left, K.O on the right
Even the toy molding looks horrifying similar...
Note the major difference here...the stud at the neck of Dairu should be covered, like a thumb tack instead of a hollow piece of stud. And of course, the K.O is missing the rub signs, which can be easily placed on.

Original on the left, K.O on the right

Weapons: Original on the top, K.O on the bottom
Under the chrome, it shows a darker color, probably black on the K.O. The original as you can see has a very nice chrome paint.

Tray inserts: Original on the top, K.O on the bottom
No vertical grooves on the sides of the tray and no grooves to hold onto the cassettes inside the hollows. If the tray has any grooves, very likely its a K.O
Also, the hollow for the accessories on the original is a square, where the K.O spots a rectangle.

Biocards: Original on the top, K.O on the bottom
Original bio cards are much larger, sized similarly to that of a credit card. K.O biocard is smaller, just about 1/3 larger than the cassette.

Instruction Sheets: Original on the left, K.O on the right
Original is printed on somewhat yellow good quality paper, K.O sheet shows very good print but on a low quality white paper.

C-124 Zauru
Front of Box: Original on the left, K.O on the right
Unlike the C-123 Dairy, the number "2" is exactly same as original. So that means to i.d the K.O, it is very very difficult.
Update (24 Oct 2016): Some detail which i missed...and picked up by another collector in the Facebook G1 group...the yellow lined box beside the numbers "C-124", the top line of the box is missing on the K.O...

Back of Box: Original on the left, K.O on the right

Side of the box: Original on the left, K.O on the right

Side of the box: Original on the left, K.O on the right

Toy: Original on the left, K.O on the right
Stud on the legs and body, should be "like a thumb tack" instead of hollow studs.
Other than that, the molding, nothing which we can use to i.d.

Toy: Original on the left, K.O on the right
Both sides of the studs should not be hollow.

Weapons: Original on the top, K.O on the bottom
Similarly, the K.O weapons has a darker base color. 
In addition, the holding is somewhat inferior with an internal stud missing on the K.O, hollow square instead.


Biocards: Original on the top, K.O on the bottom
The plastic inserts and biocards have the same differences for all 4 dino cassettes, grooves on the K.O and the biocards being smaller.

Instruction Sheet: Original on the left, K.O on the right

There seems to be a lot less differences for C-123 & C-124 compared to the earlier C-121 & C-122.
My guess is that the K.O makers managed to land their hands on an original Dairu and Zauru. That is why they could get accurate scaled boxes as well as the print on the boxes. 
On C-121 & C-122, there were alignment errors/differences but not these 2.
The instruction sheets were also very nicely printed in high resolution. Another evidence that they could not be printed from internet downloads.
I've also heard of some K.O makers approaching owners of these dino cassettes to loan the original pieces, probably with the intention of re-producing them. Glad to hear that my friend refused. I would refuse too. Absolutely hate K.Os!! wouldn't have bought the K.Os if not for the K.Os....which means i will be selling the K.Os off soon.